Homeownership affordability in Canada remains under intense strain in 2026 despite modest improvements in some markets. Housing costs still consume an overwhelming share of household income, with high interest rates, rising mortgage renewal costs, and reduced purchasing power continuing to pressure people, leaving many potential buyers sidelined.

Additionally, slower housing construction and cautious developers are limiting supply growth. As affordability targets once considered achievable are now viewed as unrealistic, many Canadians are increasingly turning to renting, where conditions have become a bit more manageable due to higher vacancy rates and slower rent increases.

TM

The 2026 Alberta Summer Games in Strathcona County was this past summer, yet its legacy will continue to live on. Considered a major success, the games featured thousands of youth athletes competing in venues across Strathcona County, alongside locations in Edmonton and Fort Saskatchewan, supported by hundreds of community volunteers.

This wasn't the first time Strathcona County put on a successful summer games, as the County hosted previously in 1987. One can connect the '87 Games legacy to the 2026 games; the athletics, the infrastructure, the volunteerism, private and public sector involvement, and the organization of the 2026 games itself, all have its roots in '87.
I had the pleasure to speak with a few individuals who were heavily involved in the '87 Summer Games, organizer Doug Fulford and the Honourable Iris Evans.

They recently provided an interesting collection of items from the '87 Games that I'm currently hoping to donate on their behalf to the Strathcona County Museum and Archives. A historical collection of photographs, news articles, documents, advertising materials, pamphlets, and other items related to the '87 Games. Truly a piece of community history and a testament to the work and dedication of everyone who was involved. I've attached a few photos of the collection, which include photographs of Premier Don Getty and MLA Peter Elzinga.

Thanks again to Doug Fulford and the Honourable Iris Evans.

Mary Riter Hamilton was one of Canada's most remarkable and determined First World War artists, and the country's first female battlefield artist. Hamilton spent more than two years travelling through the devastated battlefields of France and Belgium, including Vimy Ridge, the Somme, Ypres and Passchendaele. She had repeatedly been denied the opportunity to officially document the war because she was a woman, but after the conflict ended, the Amputation Club of British Columbia (the future War Amps) commissioned her to paint for its magazine. Living in ruined buildings, trenches and makeshift shelters, she produced more than 300 paintings documenting the destruction, graves, abandoned battlefields and the lives of those trying to rebuild.

Unlike many official war artists who created polished scenes of combat, Hamilton painted what she actually saw, placing viewers directly inside the devastated landscapes and forcing them to confront the human cost of war. Hamilton never profited from her battlefield work and eventually donated much of her collection to Library and Archives Canada. Despite creating what is considered the largest known collection of First World War art, she was forgotten for decades. Her legacy has since seen a resurgence, with her Trenches on the Somme painting appearing on a Canada Post stamp in 2020 and renewed efforts to honour her life and work, including a Heritage Minute with actress Megan Follows playing Hamilton.

The psychological toll of witnessing so much death and destruction stayed with her for the rest of her life. She died in 1954 after years of mental health struggles.

Her story is ultimately one of courage, perseverance and sacrifice, a woman who overcame discrimination to cover a war she felt compelled to document, summed up in her own words:”If there is something of the suffering and heroism of the war in my pictures, it is because at that moment the spirit of those who fought and died seemed to linger in the air. Every splintered tree and scarred clod spoke of their sacrifice."

TM

It's no secret, Canada is facing a major housing affordability crisis, with homeownership becoming increasingly out of reach as housing prices have risen far faster than incomes since 2000. This is due to limited supply, high interest rates, and rapidly increasing rents.

Nearly half of Canadians are worried about affordable housing, while a majority, especially renters, are sacrificing basic necessities like food to cover housing costs.

Wide spread social and economic effects

Between 2000 and 2021, housing prices increased by over 355%, compared to only a 113% rise in median incomes. Although cities like Vancouver and Toronto remain among the least affordable, housing pressures are also severe in Quebec, Atlantic Canada, and British Columbia. Young Canadians and first-time buyers are especially impacted, with many worried about saving for a down payment. Homelessness continues to rise, particularly among Indigenous communities, while inadequate housing is linked to serious health problems.

To improve affordability, Canada must build roughly 430,000 to 480,000 new homes each year from now through 2035. Government and developers can assist by building homes faster through modular construction, zoning reform, and higher-density developments such as high-rises and secondary suites. Reducing construction delays by cutting municipal red tape and offering tax incentives would help lower building costs.

Support for renters and first-time buyers can be strengthened through expanded rental housing programs, housing benefits, and innovative ownership models like fractional co-ownership. In addition, investing in job training and into modern building materials such as modular and wood-based homes that can improve construction capacity and affordability.

Outcomes

Housing affordability in Canada is expected to improve gradually, although progress will vary by region. Ontario is likely to experience further price declines while housing prices in British Columbia are expected to continue rising. Despite some stabilization, affordability improvements remain limited in cities such as Edmonton.

At least for the foreseeable future, high interest rates, stagnant wages, and ongoing housing supply shortages will continue to make homeownership difficult for many Canadians in the coming years.

Trent McMartin

Neil Young
Live at Massey Hall 1971
Reprise/Wea
2007

In the wake of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s break up in 1970, Canadian music legend Neil Young still had yet to establish himself as a big solo star in his own right. The former Buffalo Springfield member had released the fantastic record After the Gold Rush later that year but was still a few years away from the superstardom Harvest would bring him.

The CD/DVD collection Live at Massey Hall, the second release in Young’s Archive Performance Series, offers revealing insight into the pre-Harvest era, giving a glimpse of certain songs in their embryonic stage, many of which would later become some of Young’s most beloved and well-known tunes.

The songs ‘Love in Mind’ and ‘Journey Through the Past’ would end up on 1973’s live album Time Fades Away, ‘See the Sky About to Rain’ later appeared on 1974’s On the Beach and early renditions of ‘Heart of Gold’ and ‘Old Man’ make their live debuts, provoking little response from the Toronto crowd, giving an indication of just how new those soon-to-be mega hits were.

It’s genuinely strange to see Young here; the long, shaggy hair and the thin, youthful face yet unscathed by time. His appearance and demeanor invoke memories of a stoic looking Kurt Cobain at Nirvana’s 1993 MTV Unplugged appearance. And like Cobain, Young was heralded a spokesperson of a generation at a relatively young age. Even here in one of the DVD bonuses, the man in black himself, Johnny Cash, eagerly proclaims Young as one of the finest new young songwriters of their time.

 
Rating 4.5/5

TM

An oldie…and certainly a goodie. A commentary piece on Pearl Jam’s 2005 Canadian tour that I wrote for the Calgary Herald in the fall of that year. I had recently gone to their show with some friends when the tour stopped in Edmonton, they had played in Calgary the night before. I used the Edmonton show as an interweaving mechanism for this piece, exemplifying and illustrating the vibe of the entire tour, using it to link politics, hockey, and the positive reception the band had received across the country.

It was a fantastic show, Pearl Jam is one of the few bands that bring it every night. And they brought it that evening. It still is one of the best concerts I ever attended. Yes…it is a bit odd that a Calgary paper published a piece that featured mainly Edmonton subject matter. But as mentioned, it wasn’t necessarily an “Edmonton” article, more of a general Canadian one.

TM

There are games you remember because they were brilliant, and then there are games you remember because they meant the entire world to you on a random Saturday night.

Saturday, April 2, 1988, the day before my dad turned 43. The stage was set. Hockey Night in Canada. Looking back on paper, the 1987-88 Toronto Maple Leafs had no business being anywhere near a Stanley Cup playoff ice surface. Having traded away former captain and three-time 50-goal scorer Rick Vaive to Chicago before that season, the Leafs limped through one of the most agonizing campaigns in franchise history. They posted a dismal 21-49-10 record for 52 points - a .325 winning percentage that stands as the worst in NHL history for a team that played at least 70 games and still qualified for the postseason. Wendel Clark had spent yet another year plagued by injuries, leaving newly acquired Eddie Olczyk to carry the offense, leading the club with 42 goals and 75 points. With a core group of five 20+ goal scorers, the Leafs could score. But they were bereft of defensive talent, and any semblance of team structure, and other than an aging Borje Salming, the team was made up of unseasoned youngsters.

Yet, because they played in a historically weak Norris Division, where the Detroit Red Wings were the only team with a winning record, the Leafs stepped onto the ice at Maple Leaf Gardens on the second last day of the season with a miracle still on the table. If they won, and if the Minnesota North Stars lost the next day, Toronto was in.

For the first ten minutes of the game, it looked like a total disaster. Detroit came out firing, determined to crush their original-six rivals. Bob Probert opened the scoring early, then Brent Ashton capitalized on a power play, and by the 9:35 mark of the first period, Dale Krentz buried his second of the year to make it 3-0 for the Red Wings. The Leafs spent the rest of the period taking penalties and chasing Detroit from behind, looking every bit like a 49-loss team ready to head home for the summer.

Then came the second period, and the comeback began. Toronto forward Gary Leeman sparked the revival at 6:27, hammering home a power-play marker for his 30th of the season. The building started to buzz. Near the end of the frame, with Greg Stefan getting a penalty for delay of game, Eddie Olczyk, the key acquisition in the Viave trade, lofted a shot past Stefan to make it 3-2.

By the third period, absolute desperation took over. Just under two minutes in, Vincent Damphousse set up Tom Fergus to tie the game at 3-3. The Gardens went wild. The ice turned into a battleground shortly after, as Al Secord dropped the gloves with Jim Pavese, and Todd Gill scrapped Gerard Gallant in a tense, physical clash.

Then came the moment that sealed the miracle. At 13:16 of the final frame, the king Börje Salming and forward Miroslav Frycer, fed a young Vincent Damphousse, who buried his 12th goal of the year to give Toronto a 4-3 lead, their first of the night. Two minutes later, Frycer set up Tom Fergus for his second goal of the period, putting the Leafs up 5-3 and capping off five unanswered goals.

When the final horn sounded, the seemingly impossible had happened, the Leafs were currently in the playoffs. Yet they had to wait till the next day, and a Minnesota loss, for official confirmation. The Leafs made the 1988 Stanley Cup playoffs on the very last day of the regular season.

Sure, the story didn't end with a fairy tale; Detroit would exact their revenge in six games during the Norris Division Semi-Finals, including an embarrassing 8-0 blowout loss in Game 4. But none of that mattered on April 2, 1988. On that Saturday night, a young me jumped up and down in my basement, almost willing the Leafs to win, a day before my dad's 43rd birthday, watching five unanswered goals complete an epic comeback inside Maple Leaf Gardens. It was one of the greatest games I ever saw.

Trent McMartin

Rising Alberta Country Singer Travis Dolter Brings His Genre Bending Blend of Small Town Influenced Country Music to Sherwood Park, Alberta, Later This Month 

On a beautiful late summer day in September, much work is being done around the Dolter farm in Central Alberta. The fall is a busy time of year. There is a lot to do. So when country singer Travis Dolter can find a few minutes to chat about music, it’s appreciated. Especially when harvest season approaches. 

“I completely lost track of time,” Dolter explained over the phone for the interview. “It’s great to chat and I appreciate the call.” 

It’s that small town courtesy and friendliness that shines through during the discussion. Family, hard work, farming, and music. These are all traits and characteristics Dolter grew up with, instilled at a young age, personified through his songwriting, music, and live show, the latter of which will be landing in Sherwood Park, Alberta, at the Broadmoor Golf Course banquet hall September 25. Hosted by the Winder Inclusive Community Service (WICS), the show will be Dolter’s third annual appearance in a row. 

“The show is a ton of fun and it’s the third year in a row we’ve played it,” said Dolter. WICS is a service that enables neurodivergent adults to build meaningful relationships and lead fulfilling lives. 

“I worked as an educational assistant for a few years and I have had experience working with neurodivergent individuals,” Dolter explains. “The WICS organization helps people with neurodivergent issues and gives them opportunities, so I’m really looking forward to the show.” 

Growing up on a farm and coming from a small town like Hay Lakes, Alberta, Dolter realized at a young age how important and integral music is in daily life. The 13-time Alberta country music award nominee was exposed to all different types of music during his formative years; varied genres that helped shape his current sound. “Music was everywhere growing up,” said Dolter. “Sometimes we’d have long commutes to Camrose or Edmonton when I was a kid, to get supplies or groceries and we’d listen to the ‘50s on 5’ channel on SiriusXM (now officially named '50s Gold’) and I loved it, especially Buddy Holly, who I’d hear, then go home after and learn all his songs.” 

Holly was a personal favourite of Dolter. 

“Buddy Holly had a lot of songs for such a short career and I learned to play every one of them.”

Not only have Buddy Holly and other 50s rock and roll and pop musicians had a strong impact on Dolter, but modern musicians such as Kenny Chesney and Brett Kissel, the latter a fellow Alberta country singer who Dolter had shared the stage with in the past. All respected musicians aside, the biggest influence on his songwriting and music is his physical surroundings, where he grew up. The place itself probably has helped shape Dolter’s musical background more than anything. 

“The song  “Tailgate Therapy” and its video was one of the songs shaped by where I live,” Dolter revealed. “Where we shot the video is where when I was younger, I’d take a truck and go there in the canola field there, in the back forty, and just sit in the back of the truck just to get away from everything.” 

Even Dolter’s stage presence has its roots with home. “My grandpa used to tell me ‘if you have a stage identity, you have to captivate them, you have to entertain, and be an entertainer, so they enjoy themselves and have fun for a few hours.’”

Though many of Dolter’s influences and inspirations lie in the past, the singer-songwriter has his sights purely set on the future. With a slew of upcoming shows and a new single on the horizon, the sky’s the limit for the Hay Lakes native. 

“October 2nd and 3rd, we have a few gigs at Daisy’s Saloon, then I have a solo acoustic run at the Marriot in Edmonton for four acoustic shows, then a show at Ranchman’s in Calgary on Halloween, which will be wild.” 

As for music, Dolter is excited about a new song he’s been working on with Nashville songwriter Madison Wolf, which should see the light of day in the fall or winter. 

“We have a new song we’re putting together  called “Outgrow,” said Dolter. “I’m really looking forward to it and hopefully it’ll be out soon.”

“It’s all about family,” Dolter further explained. 

“We’re trying to bring it back to that small town heritage.” 

Travis Dolter will be playing in Sherwood Park at the Broadmoor Golf Course on September 25th.

 

Trent McMartin 

Wayne Gretzky may have had a legitimate argument for feeling hosed when losing out on the 1980 Art Ross Trophy, the trophy awarded yearly to the NHL’s leading point getter. He and LA King forward Marcel Dionne both finished with 137 points, but Dionne won the trophy on the first tiebreaker because he scored 53 goals to Gretzky’s 51. Even though Gretzky reached the same point total in one fewer game than Dionne. 

It wasn’t the first or last time the NHL used goals to break a tie: Bobby Hull beat Andy Bathgate in 1961–62, while Jaromir Jagr beat Eric Lindros in 1994–95. The rule was clear, and Gretzky accepted it, but if the Art Ross is meant to recognize the NHL’s leading scorer based on points, should an argument be made that players tied in points should share the title? 

TM

Gerry James is one of Canada's greatest multi-sport athletes, having had impressive careers in both professional football and hockey. Born in Regina in 1934, James starred as a running back and kicker for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, winning four Grey Cups and twice earning the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award. He is also one of only a handful of Canadians to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a CFL season, accomplishing the feat twice. His 18 rushing touchdowns in 1957 stood as a CFL record for 43 years, finally being surpassed by Mike Pringle in 2000.

At the same time as he was dominating the football field, James played five seasons in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He first won a Memorial Cup in 1955 for the junior Toronto Marlboros, eventually being called up by the Leafs soon after, eventually appearing in 164 NHL games. He is the only player to compete in both a Grey Cup and a Stanley Cup Final in the same season, 1959-60.

Gerry James was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1981 and remains one of the greatest two-sport athletes in Canadian history.

He passed away in 2024 at the age of 89 in Parksville, British Columbia.

TM

Bobby Orr grew up in Parry Sound, Ontario where his father, grandfather, and almost everyone in town were devoted Toronto Maple Leaf supporters. Orr was a self-described "big Leafs fan," making him the ultimate "one that got away" for the franchise. A reminder of what could have been is captured in a photo from his book, Bobby: My Story in Pictures, which shows a teenage Orr wearing a blue-and-white leaf sweater with No. 2 on his back at Maple Leaf Gardens, a rare appearance as a guest player for the Toronto Marlboros in a 1965 exhibition game against the Russian national team. Yet, despite being right in Toronto's backyard, the Leafs failed to capitalize on early tips, leaving the door open for Boston Bruins scout Wren Blair to discover the 12-year-old phenom at a youth tournament in 1961. The Bruins aggressively courted the Orr family by funding his local team, remodeling their home, and securing his junior rights through Oshawa, leaving Toronto fans forever wondering what might have been before Orr officially debuted in Boston in 1966 and revolutionized hockey history.

🍁 

Thought I’d dust off this oldie, especially for all the fans of blistering 70s and 80s hard rock. I wrote this “Top 10” back around 2008 for Unrated Magazine. It got a lot of good feedback back then and it’s fair share of detractors. Fans are a loyal bunch; if they perceive any slight towards their band, they will respond ten fold. Of course this wasn’t a hit piece, just a fun light article. I myself have seen Van Halen twice and both were great shows. Enjoy, as we step back into the days of tape players, hairspray, and music television.

10 Things You Didn’t Know (or Don’t Want to Know) About Van Halen!

1. Although founding member Michael Anthony had officially parted ways with Van Halen in 2006, the bassist’s ousting from the group can be traced back to 1998’s album Van Halen III. Anthony had little, if zero input in the writing process.
2. In 1977, KISS bassist Gene Simmons saw one of Van Halen’s shows and financed their first demo tape. Simmons supposedly wanted to change the band’s name to “Daddy Longlegs” and had even designed possible album cover art depicting a daddy longlegs wearing a top hat. Realizing the name was ultra lame, the band stuck with the Van Halen moniker.
3. Sticking with the KISS theme, according to Gene Simmons, Eddie Van Halen reportedly approached the bassist in the early 80s about the possibility of joining KISS as their new guitarist, replacing a strung out Ace Frehley. Simmons said he ultimately convinced Eddie to stay with Van Halen while KISS decided to go with Vinnie Vincent (yes folks, you read that right).
4. None of the group’s David Lee Roth era albums ever hit the coveted #1 spot on the Billboard album chart, while all four “Van Hagar” studio albums did, starting with 1986’s 5150.
5. The infamous “M&M candy” removal stipulation did in fact exist. In the early eighties, the band’s contract rider specified that a bowl of M&M candies, with all of the brown ones removed, was to be available in their dressing room. In his biography, Crazy From the Heat, David Lee Roth refuted this demand as not one of diva behaviour, but a safety precaution signifying that the concert staff was correctly reading and honouring the technical and safety provisions in the contract.
6. Eddie Van Halen was not paid for that solo he did on Michael Jackson’s mega hit “Beat It.” The guitarist performed two takes, supposedly the better one was chosen, and the rest is history.
7. Eddie angered Kurt Cobain. One night backstage before a Nirvana show in L.A., a reportedly intoxicated Eddie Van Halen asked Kurt Cobain if he could jam with the grunge band. Seeing that Eddie was inebriated, Cobain refuted. After some heated discussion, Cobain was heard to say “here!!!,” pointing to a guitar. “You go and play by yourself out there.” Suffice to say Eddie was nowhere to be seen on stage when Nirvana started playing.
8. Not only is Sammy Hagar wealthy from his successful tenure as frontman for Van Halen, but also the singer recently sold an 80% interest in his Cabo Wabo Tequila to Gruppo Campari, the seventh-largest spirits company in the world. Hagar reportedly received a cool $80 million for the deal.
9. David Lee Roth is a trained EMT and has been on hundreds of individual ambulance rides in New York City. The current Van Halen singer and former radio host even once used a defibrillator on a Bronx woman who suffered a heart attack, consequently saving her life. Now if only he could shock his solo career back to life.
10. While some classify Van Halen as heavy metal, some critics have referred to the band as “hard rock” or “party rock.” Yet maybe the most unique term was some early critics calling them “teeth rock.” Because at a time when most rockers were trying to look serious and tough, the members of Van Halen smiled all the time, everywhere; onstage, in videos, and interviews. I’m guessing their toothy grins were the result of the band smiling all the way to the bank back then.

Park Profiles: Issue #1, August, 2026

”I was no more important than the person who measured the long jump distances or the individuals with the starters pistols,” said former Strathcona County Summer Games organizer Doug Fulford in regard to the Strathcona County ‘87 Summer Games. “We were all volunteers, all of us, and if any one of us were taken out, the entire operation would have been disrupted.” 

That quote sums up Sherwood Park, Alberta resident and ‘87 Summer Games organizer Doug Fulford to a tee. Humble, grateful, enthusiastic, optimistic, gracious, honourable, and hard working. All descriptions that aptly describe the man. From his days working in the RCMP to being with the Edmonton Police Service to his entrepreneurial spirit and local organizing skills, Doug Fulford epitomizes and embodies the strength and importance of community. I had the pleasure to sit down and chat with him recently. Here’s how that conversation went. 

Trent McMartin: Hi Doug, why Sherwood Park? Why did you move here in ‘73? 

Doug Fulford: We moved to Sherwood Park because, at that time, it was about 8,000 people. We were living in a good area of the city (Edmonton). But when we looked at housing out here, and found it, we came across a location where we live in Mills Haven now, close to schools. Easy access to getting to work. 

Our kids were younger. And it was just an opportunity to find a really, we thought, a really good community, and... we have travelled to probably about 50 countries in the world over time, and Sherwood Park, in my view, is maybe in the top 2% of any place to live in the world. Because we've had excellent leadership in this community. The recreation facilities, the schools, our kids were a half a block away from Mills Haven School. 

And then a place to get involved in things like scouts, baseball, activities, music. And so... it's just an incredibly good place to live. Because of all the infrastructure we have, and leadership, and... access to so many things.

TM: And that's why you stayed. 

DF: That's why we have stayed since 1973. 

 TM: You’ve been involved in decades of community service. So many notable examples of your dedication to community. The ‘87 Strathcona Games must stick out as a notable achievement. 

DF: The games were a success because of the support of the community, the support of the media, the support of our elected officials and the staff, the recreation of parks. 

The community involvement, whether it was the businesses, incredible business support. Incredible community support. I don't know what more you could say, because that's how success happens. 

TM: You look back on that role, in the organization of the games and are you proud of what you did? What you did then? 

DF: With the games? Yeah, absolutely. I mean, when you are lucky enough in your lifetime, to be involved in an event, that is so successful, that you have to be proud of that, of course, just to be involved. And then, to be involved at the leadership level, supported by so many people. Both volunteers, and staff, and businesses, and getting support from Petro Canada and Peterson Pontiac and many others. 

TM: So Politics. In ‘93, you ran for the Progressive Conservative party against Liberal Bruce Collingwood in the Provincial election and didn't win. You were a little short on the votes and he took it that year. But you were close. What do you remember of that? And did you take anything away after it was over? 

DF: To be involved in politics at a provincial level... I was very lucky to be involved. The campaign out here with Bruce….everybody respected everybody. 

TM: It was close. I saw the tallies in my research. 

DF: Yeah, I congratulated him. He served our community very well as the MLA. I have respect for him. 

TM: Did you think about running again after in any capacity? Did you ever get that itch to do it again? 

DF: We would have had to nominate a candidate about a year ahead. I sat down with Iris Evans later on and Iris said, “Doug, if you run, I'll support you.” I said, “Iris, if you run, I'm gonna support you. “

So, I went and got on the phone, and I made probably two or three hundred phone calls, and the results were there. Iris Evans…everyone knew the name. Her name is recognized by about 95% of the phone calls.  Bruce was at about 60, 65 percent and I wasn't there. Yes, in my world…sure, it'd be nice to run again. But you throw all your support behind the best candidate.

And we did. Yeah, we didn't win by a lot of votes later, 350 votes I think (Iris Evans gained office in 1997 by unseating Liberal Bruce Collingwood by 305 votes in the provincial election). 

Yeah, it was close. Because of Bruce. Bruce was a good guy, a lawyer. Well spoken. He represented the community well. I have respect for him. We ran an honest campaign in ‘93.

TM: It seems to be a rarity these days to run that type of campaign. It seems to be more of a mud slinging contest these days. Especially more on a national level. 

DF: You know, a lot of people, like, they kind of miss those days when maybe people are more respectful towards each other. Society had a little different attitude, going back to the early '90s. I think there was more respect for individuals, and somehow, the political world seemed to change. I don't know where it started. Maybe in the U.S, maybe in Europe, but it seemed to be... seemed to become more about running down your competition. You could get more of votes. Yeah, and so... you get guys playing that game. It came to...the person who could tell the best lie won. That's in today's world. That's today. 

TM: So I want to touch upon, of course, the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal. You were awarded the medal in 2002. Was this something that was a culmination of decades of service? Was it an honour? 

DF: It's an honour to me to have had the opportunity to work and represent. I'm going to say, representing some teams and projects that were extremely successful for the community. To be involved.

TM: Professionally you’ve had an interesting and diverse career. Touch upon that.

DF: I'm so lucky. I spent 20 years in the RCMP.  And I spent about 18 months for the Edmonton city police. And I was in charge of the Alberta Sheriff's from about 2003 to almost 2007, just over almost four years. And when I was there, that's when we created the Sheriff Traffic Operation, the specialized traffic division of the Alberta Sheriffs Branch.

TM: Interesting. 

DF: And with the minister and the deputy and stuff, we looked at it as a pilot project. And I proposed that we put this pilot in place for six months. At the end of three months, I went and said we got to implement this. It's been so good, because I'll give you an example. Highway 63 to Fort McMurray, once that service was available on that road, it was able to add so much to the safety of communities in Alberta. And then it expanded from there. 

TM: What about consulting? 

DF: When I left the RCMP in 1982, I set up my investigation company, in a private sector, working for governments, for firms and we did very little individual work. We had some excellent contracts. In about 1986, we were approached by Alberta Forestry to assist with wild land fire investigations. 

TM: Oh, okay.

DF: The cause and responsibility, and we had that contract for 15 years. I worked with some really nice guys, really, really good guys. One guy by the name of Cliff Henderson was the ADM (Assistant Deputy Minister) in forestry. We were able to solve a lot or place responsibility on companies, individuals. I will give you an example. There was a quad. I won't give you the name of the quads, but yeah that were used by oil companies and forestry. The exhaust system that kicks out.. well, what it does, the wheels pick up debris, put it on the exhaust system, and then it gets heated to about 200 and some degrees. And that debris falls off. If the guys are operating, they don't know. Yeah, but causing a fire. But here's something that was really good. With forestry, we met with one of the companies and they changed the exhaust system. 

TM: Wow. 

DF: Yes, because of the investigation. Because of the working with forestry and listening to those guys, we were the investigation side. They understood the fire behaviour in the science and we gained a lot of knowledge in 15 years. 

I also sat on the board of the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission. It was just incredible, because I got appointed as the deputy chair, so I chaired the hearings. 

TM: That would have been interesting. 

DF: And during that period of time, the casino expansion was taking place quite rapidly. Ralph Klein was supporting that. This would have been back in the '90s. I was on the board there in 1998 to 2003.

TM: So, last thing. I know you've talked about travelling. You’ve been to dozens of countries. You’ve been to Iran, you've been to the Great Wall. You've hiked the Grand Canyon. What's the next adventure? 

DF: Well, I've got to send a challenge to you. We were at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, to Phantom Ranch, and back up. We left at 6:30 in the morning, and we're back up at 5:15 pm later that day. 

TM: I couldn’t do that. 

DF: When you beat that time, phone me (laughter erupts between us).  

But, you know, it's amazing. Health wise, I've been so lucky. 

TM: That's good. 

DF: And when you reach the mileage that I have, health is absolutely the most important thing, My dad lived to be 107. 

TM: Quite an achievement.

DF: But his last three or four years where he... just he existed. He didn't live. Family, and economics, and health. Health number one. 

I think I mentioned we've travelled to about 50 countries in the world now. Well, some of those were, like, for different work. At one time, I had a diplomatic passport, and I have a lot of respect for the common everyday people in Iran. It goes back a lot of years. And the one thing I found, when you go, we have Chinese friends who we went to China with, when you get past the political part of a country and meet the people, the common people. Everybody is the same. They're trying to make a living, raise a family, be good people. Even in the United States, if you get past one man. Yeah, you gotta meet the people there, like, we're not so much different. 

TM: They're the same as us.

DF: In this country of Canada, many of us have no idea what extreme poverty is. I mean, I've come back from one other particular country, got down and kissed the ground in Canada when we got back. Yeah, literally. Because we are so lucky. 

Like, Winston Churchill said, there ain't nothing worse than a democracy. Except all the rest.

The politics, sometimes, well, we're seeing its effects in today's world.

 But overall…the world's full of really, really good people.

TM: Thanks Doug. 

DF: Thank you. 

(Photo of Doug Fulford, August, 2026, taken by Trent McMartin)

 

Trent McMartin

I'm excited to share a new writing project called "Park Profiles", a monthly feature highlighting the interesting and inspiring people who call Sherwood Park, Alberta, home. It's been a great experience recently getting back into the writing process, and I've really enjoyed telling the stories of people across the country, province, and in our local community. I've lived in Sherwood Park most of my life and I feel I got my finger on the pulse of the community so I’m really looking forward to this.

I also want to sincerely thank everyone who has taken the time to read, comment, and offer words of encouragement in various social platforms. Your support has meant a great deal to me, and I truly appreciate every kind message. I can't wait to highlight and celebrate some of the great people in our community that continue to make it what it is; a nice place to live.

I will be posting it on Reddit, LinkedIn, Facebook and more every month.

Thank you

Trent McMartin

(Thank you to Jodi Phelan for help with the graphic)

My first edition of Park Profiles will be up next week. I'll be covering a longtime Sherwood Park resident and local organizer, who’s also a business entrepreneur, a former political candidate, a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal, a traveller, hiker, and an all round adventure seeking extraordinaire.

...

This and more next week.

Thank you to Jodi Phelan for help with my new graphic.

I'm excited to share a new writing project called "Park Profiles", a monthly feature highlighting the interesting and inspiring people who call Sherwood Park, Alberta, home. It's been great recently getting back into the writing process, and I've really enjoyed telling the stories of people across the country, province, and in our local community. I've lived in Sherwood Park most of my life and I feel I got my finger on the pulse of the community.

I also want to sincerely thank everyone who has taken the time to read, comment, and offer words of encouragement in various social platforms. Your support has meant a great deal to me, and I truly appreciate every kind message. I can't wait to highlight and celebrate some of the great people in our community that continue to make it what it is; a nice place to live.

I will be posting it on Reddit, LinkedIn, Facebook and so on every month.

Thank you

Trent McMartin